Initial treatment with radical prostatectomy as compared with combined–modality therapy was not associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer–specific mortality in men with Gleason score 8–10 prostate cancer.

Methods

Men with localised high-risk prostate cancer based on a Gleason score of 8–10 were selected for study from Duke University (285 men), treated between January 1988 and October 2008 with RP or from the Chicago Prostate Cancer Center or within the 21st Century Oncology establishment (372) treated between August 1991 and November 2005 with CMT.

Fine and Gray multivariable regression was used to assess whether the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality differed after RP as compared with CMT adjusting for age, cardiac comorbidity and year of treatment, and known prostate cancer prognostic factors.

Results

As of January 2009, with a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 4.62 (2.4-8.2) years, there were 21 prostate cancer-specific deaths.